The Former Tough Girl
by fantasylunargirl
Summary: Arnold finds a way to prevent Helga from ever becoming a bully. He learns the smallest act can have the big consequences and Helga not being a bully is not the best thing for everyone.
1. The Crossroads

Chapter 1

The Crossroads

As Arnold got up after class he shook the spit balls out of his hair, Gerald said "man I don't know how you put up with it".

Arnold replied "I'm used to it by now. Nothing will ever stop Helga from being a bully".

As they left the school Gerald said "it would be great if we could stop Helga from becoming a bully".

Arnold said "but she's been that way since forever".

Lila interjected "I couldn't help hearing your conversation and I disagree. Helga acts tough but I think that's just to hide her own insecurities. No one can be born a bully but if you believe she is then something happened to make her like that. At some point in her life little Helga Pataki had to make a choice and that choice created the girl we know today".

At Gerald's Field they talked to Harold, Sid and Stinky about it. "Insecurities, Helga" said Sid. They all burst out laughing.

Stinky said "Helga's been mean ever since we knew her, on that first day of Pre-school".

Sid asked "Hey Harold weren't you the first kid Helga picked on"?

Harold answered "yeah, and all I did was eat crackers".

Arnold said "if memory serves Harold, you ate her crackers in front of her and then laughed in her face".

Gerald said to Arnold "I thought she was going to cry until you gave her your crackers. I think when she accepted them I saw a hint of a smile. I'm not sure what happened next but suddenly everyone was laughing at her".

Sid said "that would be because of the goo-goo eyes Helga made at Arnold and then Harold mimicked her".

Stinky added "and Helga looked over at Arnold, and then the crackers and a scowl appeared on her face. She pushed Harold over, jumped on his stomach and then walked away saying she was the boss".

Arnold remembered the first day of pre-school before snack time. He

met Helga outside and she was covered in mud. After she'd gotten cleaned up she sat next to Arnold and coloured a picture while Arnold made a picture out of macaroni. Arnold said "you know I have a strange recollection of Helga being nice before snack time".

Gerald said "so I guess in a way we can blame Harold for Helga being a bully".

Harold said "hey she hits me with her lunch everyday and I don't do anything to her".

Sid said "Harold, you make fun of her".

Harold said "no I don't".

Sid replied "yes you do, just today you called her a big hairy warthog with barf for a face".

Gerald said "but then there's the question, why does Helga pick on Arnold the most, he never does anything to her"?

On his way home Arnold asked Gerald "do you think Helga would have turned out differently if Harold hadn't picked on her that day".

Gerald said "maybe, but what else could have happened? Of course Harold would take her crackers because that's who he is, and of course you'd offer Helga yours because that's who you are. That day Helga decided who she was, she had choices but decided on becoming a bully".

Arnold stopped outside his door and commented "still I wish there was a way to stop Helga making the choice she did. You know a third option between becoming a bully or a laughing stock".

Gerald said "too bad time travel is beyond anyone's capabilities".

The next day Arnold volunteered to help set up the 6th graders graduation ceremony. He was helping paint a banner with Rhonda and Eugene. Suddenly Eugene slipped and spilt all the paint, Rhonda said "I think there was some more paint in the basement".

Arnold offered "I'll go get it".

The basement was creepy, dark, and filled with cobwebs. He saw a shelf with paint on them so went to get some, when he did the shelf shook and some things leaning against it collapsed. When Arnold picked himself out of the rumble that fell on him he saw all that stuff have been covering a door. He probably should have left it alone but his curiosity got the better of him. When he opened the door all he saw was a blank void. Unsure if the door just had a black wall behind it Arnold placed his hand in. He'd expected to feel a hard brick wall instead it was like pulp. If he shouldn't have left it alone before he should now.

He went in and in a flash of light Arnold found himself as little boy again in pre-school. The first thing he saw was little four year old Gerald, he asked "are you okay man"?

Arnold replied "I'm fine".

Then they heard Harold laughing as he ate Helga's crackers in front of her. This was the time Arnold had wanted to go back to, the crossroads where Helga became a bully. If he was going to stop her from crying and at the same time keep her from becoming a bully he had to do something know. Suddenly he found the third option and Helga didn't have to do a thing, he did. He went over to Helga and asked "would you like to come and sit with me and Gerald"?

He held his hand out to Helga and Helga took it and a smile appeared on her face as he took her to his table. As he sat back down he decided it was safe to do what he did the first time round. He pushed his plate of crackers to her and said "you can have mine if you like".

Helga smile grew as she took one. Before anything else could happen Arnold was pulled out of the door by an unknown force. All he could do was think was would Helga be any nicer now by changing her road for her?

 **What do you think, should I continue with this story?**


	2. A Day With A Nice Helga

When he got back with some more paint Rhonda wasn't there anymore but Helga was. Rhonda must have needed to rush off somewhere and in this alternative reality Helga might be his friend. Helga said "good more paint, this was a great idea of yours to work on this together Arnold".

'Wow' thought Arnold that was the nicest thing she'd ever said to him.

The bell went off which meant it was time to go back to class. Instead of sitting behind Arnold Helga now sat next to him. Arnold thought he felt spit balls in the back of his head but Helga couldn't do that being right next to him. He shook his hair after class just to be sure but nothing came out. Gerald asked "are you alright man"?

Arnold said "I thought I felt someone throwing spit balls at me".

"Spit balls" said Helga "who would ever do something like that, and especially to you. You're the nicest and most respected boy in class".

With Helga having always picked on him Arnold never felt respected, "me, most respected"? Questioned Arnold

Helga replied "of course Arnold, you're practically everyone's Guardian Angel".

Gerald added "everyone comes to you for help with their problems, and you always fix their problems, or give them advice on how to fix their problems themselves".

Helga said "if not for you I probably wouldn't have any friends, or have the strength to do what I know in my heart is right".

Arnold thought this was great, because of him Helga was morally sound, but he was about to find out how wrong he was.

It was now lunch period and it turned out Arnold always ate lunch with Gerald, Helga and Lila. "Hey Lila, over here" Helga called as they sat down. Helga opened her backpack and said "I baked these cookies last night". She brought out a Tupperware box of chocolate chip cookies.

Gerald took one as soon as Helga opened the box. "Helga" he said "what would we do without a day of your baking"?

Helga replied "oh you'd survive somehow".

Arnold was surprised, in his reality he's never known Helga to bake anything, but here she was great at baking. He and Lila took a cookie but before Helga could take one for herself Harold snatched the box up. Helga said "hey, those are mine".

Harold said "well now, they're mine and with that he pushed Helga right off her chair and walked away laughing. Arnold got up to help Helga up wondering about Harold. He'd always been a bully but he'd never been this bad.

As they carried on with their lunch Arnold noticed she had a Cheese sandwich, an apple and peach yoghurt. Arnold couldn't remember the last time Helga had a completely healthy lunch. "Your lunch looks healthier than usual today" Arnold commented.

Lila asked "what do you mean? Helga always has a healthy lunch".

Helga said "well ever since I got a nanny". Arnold suddenly remembered the last time Helga had a completely healthy lunch. It made sense; this nicer version of Helga would never steal her dad's lucky belt to frame Inga. Helga continued "she would never let me leave the house with an unhealthy lunch. At least she lets me still bake my cookies and put chocolate chips in them but sometimes she really annoys me".

Lila said "but she's every so nice and can do so many things".

Helga replied "that's what annoys me about her; she wants me to learn to do everything like her. I can tolerate her, but she can't control my life, I need some individuality". Up to then Arnold had thought Helga had gotten Inga fired out of spite but now he saw it was because she thought Inga was trying to control her life.

After school Arnold wanted to get back to work on the 6th grade graduation ceremony. On the way he bumped into Rhonda "why don't you watch where you're going football head".

Arnold asked "did you just call me football head"?

Helga was the only one who ever called him football head except today, now Helga was his friend".

Rhonda retorted "what of it, your imperfections aren't my fault".

Arnold said "I'm going to help with the 6th grade graduation ceremony, are you coming"?

Rhonda asked "why on earth would I waste my time doing something for a grade I'm not even in". She stomped away not once looking back. Before Rhonda had been more than happy to help and put her artistic touch on the graduation.

When Arnold got to the auditorium he told his friends about his encounter with Rhonda. Gerald said "were you crazy, Rhonda made it perfectly clear yesterday she's not interested in doing anything for anybody else".

Helga added sarcastically "of course she's not, after all why should Princess Rhonda Wellington Lloyd have to do anything generous, she's so much better than the rest of us".

Lila said "I guess Rhonda can be snobbish, even a little selfish but she must have a good side". That sounded like what Lila had said about Helga the day before.

Helga interjected "besides she always calls you football head, it's hardly news, that girl has an insulting name for everyone. Gerald got Tall Hair Boy, Lila got Little Miss Perfect which I'm not sure is really insulting, and me; I'm Pinkie".

Gerald said "can you imagine what would happen if one of us was to become like Rhonda".

Helga replied "it would be terrible, if it were me I probably wouldn't have Lila for a best friend." Arnold suddenly realised why Lila was hanging out with them and why Helga was being so polite to her, they were being best friends, but where did that put Phoebe. "I might not have any friends because I wouldn't know how to treat them. Heaven only knows how Nadine puts up with being her meek little errand girl". 'Wait a minute' Arnold thought Rhonda did act just like Helga; she even called him football head. Was Rhonda the bully in this reality'?


	3. Two Bullies In Place Of One

An hour later the school was about to get locked up for the night so the volunteers had to leave. Inga was waiting outside to accompany Helga home while Arnold, Gerald and Lila walked home. On his way home Harold came out of an alley and grabbed him. "Look it's Arnold, the orphan" he taunted.

Arnold just stood there, Harold had never been that mean and even Helga with her sharp tongue had never said something so hurtful, she apologised for when her dad said it. He said "now that is too much".

As he pushed Arnold over Harold asked him "well, what you gonna do about it orphan? Gonna go cry to mommy and daddy, oh wait you can't".

He chuckled as he hit Arnold as he got up knocking him back down. Harold quickly got Arnolds backpack dumped everything out of it and threw his empty backpack over a fence where you could instantly hear dogs barking. Arnold waited until Harold left to gather everything that had been in his backpack and continued to walk home. That was not the Harold he knew, that Harold was a worse bully than Helga had ever been.

When he got home Arnold's Grandpa called from the living room "is that you shortman"?

Arnold walked into the living still holding everything Arnold's Grandpa sighed and asked "did that boy give you trouble again, the big one with the tooth sticking out of his mouth"?

Arnold took a breath and said "pretty much, grandpa have you ever tried to turn someone into someone else".

Arnold's Grandpa asked "you mean like make them go against their basic nature".

Arnold said "not exactly, more like changed them before they could become someone else".

Arnold's Grandpa "like going back into the past and making someone make different choice than the one they did".

Arnold answered "exactly".

Ernie said "that would be nice if it was possible, we could go into the past and stop Kokoshka from being a lousy, no good bum".

When Arnold went upstairs and dropped everything he'd been carrying onto the bed. He went to go on his computer when he noticed how different his room was. The wallpaper, carpet and his things were still here but so were a bunch of things he'd never seen before plus a bunch of photographs on his Wall. He looked at the photographs first, there was one of him, Gerald and Helga when they were still in pre-school. There was another more recent one of him, Gerald, Helga and Lila sitting on a park bench. He guessed with Helga's new personality and best friend it would make sense. It was the photograph of both Lila and Helga doing ballet and Helga holding the statue of Emily Dickenson that Phoebe got that he didn't get. And since when did he have a snow-globe of the jungle and a very young child's colouring of him with the words 'my hero' underneath, obviously written by a child.

The next day as he and Gerald went towards the auditorium he talked to Gerald who told him "what do you expect Helga's taken ballet lessons since she was five and when Lila got here she joined Helga's ballet class and they're the best dancers. As their best friends they invited us to their first ballet recital. And Helga got the Emily Dickenson trophy for being the best poet in class".

Arnold asked "and do you know why a have a snow-globe and a child's colouring"?

Gerald replied "man, are you lucky the girls didn't hear you say that. Lila gave you the snow-globe for your birthday after finding out you were born in the jungle. Helga did that colouring for you as a Christmas gift when we were four. A week or two before Harold talked Sid and Stinky into stealing Helga's ribbon and it made her cry but you got it back for her".

When he and Gerald arrived Arnold put his books, pencil case and lunch down. Lila asked "Arnold, what happened to your backpack"?

Arnold said "I'd rather not talk about it".

Helga said "no need," she started rubbing her arm "I heard Harold talking to Sid and Stinky as I got here. He was telling them how he stole your backpack last night and threw it into a yard with a vicious dog".

Arnold asked "did he hit you"?

Helga said "I may have made the mistake of telling him he shouldn't have done it and he may have hit me, pulled my backpack off me and thrown it onto the roof with everything still in it".

Gerald said "there is something seriously wrong with that guy".

Lila asked "did you hear what happened to Nadine this morning"?

Arnold asked "what"?

Lila said "she was picking up Rhonda's new coat after getting Rhonda's boxes of imported chocolates. She dropped one box and as she picked it up she didn't see a car coming right for her. She got hit and now Nadine's in the hospital but Rhonda's not even sorry, she's just complained about how no body's gotten her, her new coat".

Helga said "if it was me I would have gone to the hospital straight away to apologise and try and find a way to make it up to her".

Arnold said "I'm sure you would" he remembered when the exact same thing happened to Phoebe. Helga was telling the truth, she did go to the hospital to see Phoebe the moment she heard and she felt so guilty she did everything for Phoebe from them. Rhonda seemed to be a much worse version of Helga.


	4. For Better Or Much Much Worst

On the way to class Arnold saw Phoebe, there was four 6th grade girls around her, then Phoebe gave them some papers. Arnold went over to her and said "Hi Phoebe".

She answered "oh hello Arnold".

He asked "what was that about"?

"Shavon's off sick today" said Phoebe "which means I'm in charge of providing them with homework. It's been that way since I got promoted to the 6th grade".

Arnold remembered Phoebe had skipped to the 6th grade but she came back to the 4th grade two days later. "That's not fair" he said "don't you have any friends to stick up for you"?

Phoebe answered "I thought they were my friends at first, but they only wanted to take advantage of me. At least in 4th grade everyone ignored me as long as I stayed out their way".

Almost forgetting he was in a different reality he asked "what about Helga, isn't she your friend"?

Phoebe looked confused "what makes you think that, I barely know her. Sure I bumped into her in kindergarten but she simply helped me up and went off with you and Gerald." Arnold remembered that day only back in his reality Helga got herself up and with her reputation Phoebe begged to be forgiven. Helga said she would but she wanted a sidekick but it wasn't long before nobody could see the difference between sidekick and friend.

Phoebe went into class so Arnold walked towards his own until he saw a small crowd watching Harold throwing Helga against the lockers repeatedly. Gerald and Lila just watched on horrified but their fear of Harold kept them from intervening. Helga suddenly collapsed but everyone could tell by the look in Harold's eyes he wasn't done yet. Arnold quickly went in front of Helga but Harold just pushed him aside. He picked up Helga like a ragdoll by her arms and pulled them as hard as he could. He lost his grip on her already badly bruised right arm and it collided with the wall causing her to yell out.

Principal Wartz came out of his office to see who had screamed and why. Other pupils scattered seeing Principal Wartz except for Helga, Arnold, Gerald, Lila and Harold. Helga was too hurt to even stand, Arnold, Gerald and Lila wanted to see if she'd be okay after a beating like that, whereas Harold just admired his handiwork. When Principal Wartz saw this he knew what had happened. "Mr Berman, not again,"

"Oh, Principal Wartz" Harold said obviously nervous "but this time she was asking for it".

Principal Wartz shook his head and looked at Lila as if to ask what happened. Lila said "Helga brought in raspberry cupcakes but Harold caught sight of them as Helga was putting them into her locker. He knocked her over snatching the cupcakes from her" gesturing to cupcakes on the floor. "Helga immediately tried to get them back which is what spilt them to on the ground. Then Harold started throwing her up against the lockers and even when she collapsed he didn't stop".

"Thank you Miss Sawyer" answered Principal Wartz then he turned back to Harold. "I've already suspended you five times for fighting without any change in your behaviour. With this latest display of violence I'm left with no other alternative, you are expelled. Now get off school grounds and never come back". Arnold felt bad for him because no matter what this Harold did his Harold was his friend, so it was almost the same thing.

As soon as Harold was gone Principal Wartz turned to Helga, Arnold, Gerald and Lila. "Are you alright Miss Pataki"?

She replied weakly "I can't seem to get up".

Arnold said "I'll get the school nurse".

Still weakly Helga said "no, don't go Arnold".

Gerald said "I'll go, you two stay and keep her company".

Concerned Principal Wartz said "knowing that boy I better call for an ambulance, and then I'll inform her parents".

Lila said "Helga stay absolutely still until the ambulance gets here".

Helga replied weakly "believe me I have no intension of moving, not even when the ambulance does get here".

The ambulance came and took Helga to hospital and Arnold could tell by the look in her eyes she was sacred. At lunch everyone was talking about it Gerald said "Harold's done some terrible things before but this might be the worst".

Lila asked "what about Sid?" Arnold thought that's right he hadn't seen Sid, or Curly for that matter. Gerald paused for a moment then said "it's a toss up".

Arnold asked "remind me, what happened to Sid, and Curly"?

Gerald asked "how could you forget"?

Lila replied "well after that movie about Hygiene Sid became bacteriophobic, you know fearful of germs. When Sid came to school in a germ prevention suit Harold thought it would be funny if at lunch break he took Sids helmet off and dumped him in a garbage can. Sid was so traumatised he lives in the phychiatric ward of the hospital in a padded cell".

Gerald said "as for Curly it's impossible to know for sure, but most suspect he's the victim, surely you remember his crush on Rhonda"?

Arnold replied "Of course".

Gerald said "enough said".

Still confused Lila said "Curly's crush on Rhonda was innocent enough. Then Rhonda came to school wearing a diamond bracelet it was clear Curly admired it. After lunch break Rhonda came into class messy saying she was attacked and her attacker stole her diamond bracelet. When she was asked who it was she said she never saw who it was as they wore a ski mask. With the bracelet being so costly the police got involved and no one could go in or out of school. Harold was suspected but when they searched bags and lockers they found nothing linking him. But when they searched Curly's locker they found a ski mask and the bracelet inside the ski mask. All it took was for Rhonda's parents to press charges and Curly was taken to a juvenile detention facility. He kept saying he was innocent and some believe him, myself included, I think it was someone else".

Gerald said "whereas I think Rhonda staged the whole thing just to get Curly off her back". Arnold wasn't so sure if this world where Helga wasn't a bully was better when it seemed much worst.


	5. Try To Make It Right

At lunch break Arnold went to talk to the only person who might be smart enough to help him. He found her reading a book in the library "Phoebe can I talk to you about something"?

"Of course Arnold" she whispered.

They went to a corner of the library far away from everybody else enough where they wouldn't have to whisper or be overheard. Phoebe asked "what is it you wanted to talk about"?

Arnold asked "first off what do you know about time travel"?

Phoebe answered "only that it's theoretical, no technology today can allow you to travel in time but in the future who knows".

Arnold asked "well let's say theoretically someone went back in time and changed something which he thought would make things better but instead made things worse".

Phoebe said "that's called the butterfly effect. It stems from the theory that a butterfly's wing flap can cause a hurricane somewhere else. It means the even the smallest change can have large effects. So theoretically what change were you thinking".

"A bully who torments you" said Arnold. "You go back to the day they decided to become a bully and offer them an alternative option. How big a change would that make"?

Phoebe said "it would depend on how big a bully they were. The world and people are full of opposites to create harmony there must be perfect balance. So if this person was a bully and now isn't someone else would have to take on their aggressiveness, or their self-importance. Perhaps different aspects go into the only person who already has the most of the aspect in their life".

Arnold asked "so theoretically keeping someone from becoming a bully might make two big ones"?

Phoebe said "theoretically yes".

"Thank you for your knowledge on the subject" said Arnold.

Before he left Phoebe said "we said theoretically a lot but I can tell by what you said this wasn't about something in a theoretical term. Can you tell me what you're trying to hide"?

Arnold paused and then said "I'm from an alternative reality. There I'm bullied everyday so when I found a time travelling door I stopped that bully from ever becoming a bully. At first everything seemed fine but now I'm not too sure. Four people are in real trouble they weren't be in back in my reality"?

Phoebe asked "I sense we're referring to the poor victims of Harold's and Rhonda's actions".

Arnold asked "you know about them".

Phoebe replied "the whole school knows about Snobbish Rhonda and Violent Harold".

Arnold sighed heavily and said "back in my reality Rhonda was still a snob but she had morals and Harold was still a bully but he had limits, and a conscience". He sighed again

Phoebe asked "and the bully who is no longer a bully is"?

Arnold said "Helga. I don't want to lose her friendship but I don't want to see others suffer as well."

Phoebe said "then maybe you could see if you can help them here".

After school Arnold decided to go to the hospital, he could go see Nadine, Sid and Helga. "It was nice of you to come see me but you didn't have to" said Nadine.

Arnold replied "well since I was coming I thought I'd come see how you were doing".

"Why were you coming".

"Harold was out of control this morning and Helga got badly hurt".

"I hope she's okay"

"Me too. I don't know why you put up with Rhonda".

"She's not so terrible, she must like me, she wouldn't ask just anyone to be her sidekick".

"But you got hurt because of her".

"Sure I'd love it if Rhonda tried to do something nice to make up for it but she'd never offer so what else can I do. Besides the doctors said I should get the cast off in a month".

Arnold frowned, Nadine was a total pushover but maybe he could talk Rhonda into treating her better.

A nurse led him to Sid's padded room as soon as Arnold attempted to

come closer Sid seeming frightened said "no, stay there, I can't let your germs get too close".

Arnold replied "Sid, this is too much, you're living in a padded room in the hospital, getting your food through a metal slot and even when someone comes in you won't let them get too close".

Sid said "oh I let them get close when they come to give me my spouge bath".

"Sid, the old you loved to play and roll around in the mud and the slime and you know what else nothing bad ever happened. The world is full of germs, you just have to accept it. You think I like knowing about things like bed bugs. What about all of the germs that live in air ducts? Millions of germs are pouring into your room every second. The world is full of germs Sid, you can't get rid of all of them. You need to stop worrying about them or you'll end up all alone, curled up in a little ball with nothing but germs in your life".

"I'm sorry Arnold but I can't stop thinking about them just waiting for a chance to grab me".

"Maybe but it's stopped you from living your life. Anyway that's all I wanted to say". Arnold could only hope his words could get through to Sid.

Now it was time to see Helga, she was sitting in a hospital bed watching TV. She didn't notice him in the doorway until he knocked on the door frame. "Hey Arnold" her whole face lit up when she saw him.

He came in and asked "how are you now".

Helga said "the doctors gave me some painkillers".

Arnold could tell she was upset about something so he decided to talk to her some more. "Did your parents show up earlier"?

She answered "no, but what else is new. I didn't really expect them to come anyway. Inga came but she left just before you got here".

Arnold asked "what have you done all day"?

Helga replied "x-rays, tests and sleep".

Arnold said "I paid a visit to Nadine and Sid".

Helga said "that's nice"

Arnold looked at the floor and came out and asked "what's wrong, I can tell somethings up with you".

Helga smiled nervously and said "Inga didn't notice but I guess I couldn't hide it from you. It would seem Harold went overboard this morning. The doctors said some parts of my body should be fully functional in a week or two. All except my arms, they got really badly hurt, neither one is broken but the nerves were damaged. It's uncertain at the moment, the nerves might fix themselves the doctors are going to take a look at the damage and if the damage is too severe for the nerves to fix themselves they might have to amputate".

Arnold's eyes widened he said "amputate as in…"

He couldn't finished so Helga finished it for him "as in chopped off".

Arnold said "it won't happen, it can't".


End file.
